Dishfunctional Designs: things to make with old glasses

Sunday, April 2, 2023

The Upcycled Garden: Garden Art 2023 - Painted Glass Jars & Bottles

All artwork & photos by Laura Beth Love - this blog post may contain affiliate links

It's that time of year again! Thank goodness! Let's get out our recycled items and craft supplies and think about what we can make to accentuate our gardens and outdoor spaces.

I love a garden with lots of shine and color!

A few years ago I did a blog post about using old glassware in and around the garden. This time I'm taking it in a little bit of a different direction - by adding some simple paint designs to old glassware; jars, bottles, mason jars, that kind of thing...I hope you like them!

There are a few different types of paint that you can use for this. You can use acrylic paint, or you can use enamel paint...I gravitate towards acrylic just due to the fact that there are so many colors to choose from and nowadays the formulations are so much more outdoor-friendly than they were years ago.

You don't have to be an artist or great painter to do this, just play!

With some simple supplies (I'll share some links to supplies below to get you started) and just a few simple strokes you can create your own beautiful, one of a kind painted glassware.

And the best part of it all? The canvases are free! Use any old glass containers that you like. I love vintage ones the best, they just have that little extra something that makes them so unique and beautiful. So gather your glassware! If you don't have any, ask friends or family members for old pieces and also be sure to check your local thrift stores - I find tons of glassware at mine.

Before you begin you will want to first soak off any labels. Remove any stubborn glue or adhesive residue with acetone.

Wash your bottles thoroughly and dry. Now your canvases are ready for paint!

Follow any manufacturer's directions for your paints. Once you've finished painting, allow your designs to completely dry (I do 24 hours) and then it's a good idea to spray them with a sealer. You can use a brush-on type if you prefer that to a spray. Below are some recommendations for products I like to get you started.

You can use these painted pieces indoors or outdoors - but if you are using them outdoors be sure to seal them and I would also protect them from any harsh weather and too much direct sunlight.

I hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to create! I'll leave you now so you can get started planning your garden and your next project - Happy spring!

~ Laura

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Laura

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Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2023 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link updates or corrections leave correct info in comment area

Friday, June 1, 2018

You've Got To See This! Interesting Ideas For Upcycled Eyeglasses

Now look here, this is important.

You need to focus.

Do you see what I mean?

I want to make sure you get my point of view.

That's a joke son you're supposed to laugh.

All kidding aside, what do you do with your old eyeglasses? Do you throw them away? Or maybe stash them in the back of a drawer?

I recently read an article somewhere that said that one of the things that thrift stores do not know what to do with are old prescription eyeglasses. I also know that some civic organizations collect them for charity. I don't know what they do with them or how they use them, but if it can benefit a good cause then I would say that's probably a good place to send them.

Or you could upcycle them into something new. Upcycled eyeglasses? Why not? Check out these unique ideas for upcycling old eyeglasses and maybe you will see old eyeglasses in a new light...